Beer of the Week

The beer: Mexican Coffee Stout

The brewery: Cape May Brewing Company, Cape May, New Jersey

Description (from the website): "Our Mexican Coffee Stout has a satisfyingly complex grain bill comprised of seven different malts, yielding a rich and layered profile with a silky-smooth mouthfeel and a firm cocoa-like bitterness. Conditioned on fresh, locally roasted Mexican Chiapas coffee, cinnamon, guajillo peppers, and vanilla, Mexican Coffee Stout lands perfectly balanced amongst the coffee, spice, and rich stout base."

Would I buy it again? This is a coffee stout with a difference, as you can really taste the cinnamon and the peppers as you drink. Not in an unpleasant way, this beer isn't spicy in the "I need a glass of water" sort of way, just pleasantly and warmly spiced. It contrasts very well with the thick coffee flavor. There's no bitterness either, it's just a genuinely good beer to drink, and memorable too. I'd definitely buy this again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Honey Porter

The brewery: Cape May Brewing Company, Cape May, New Jersey

Description (from the website): "With a sweet hint of honey, Honey Porter goes down smooth thanks to its balanced, robust, and light-bodied finish. This award-winning brown porter is brewed with Jersey Fresh certified honey and a firm malt presence, making it extremely approachable, no matter the season."

Would I buy it again? An important thing to note with this beer: Deceptively easy to drink does not necessarily mean actually easy to drink. It's pretty light for a porter, but it is still a porter. That said, this is a good one, with a nice dash of honey thrown in. I'd buy it again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Krusty's Partially-Gelatinated Non-Dairy Gum-Based Beverage

Brewed by: Cape May Brewing Company, Rio Grande, New Jersey

Description (from the website): "Thick and viscous, this 'Shake' IPA is brewed with an abundant amount of Cashmere, Azacca, and Idaho 7 hops for a tropical bouquet of flavors that pair beautifully off the luscious body and creamy mouthfeel"

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. Admittedly, I sincerely doubt I'll ever encounter this beer beyond the four pack that I bought, since it's a one-time brew exclusive to the tasting room. So unless I feel like taking another trip to New Jersey in the next month, this is probably it. Also, it's kind of a weird sort of beer. I assume that's the shake part of the shake IPA. It didn't taste bad, per se, it just felt a little strange to drink. And in case you were wondering, this is where the name came from.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Cape May IPA

Brewed by: Cape May Brewing Company, Rio Grande, New Jersey

Description (from the website): "The American IPA named for America’s Oldest Seaside Resort, Cape May IPA is loaded with floral and citrus notes, slightly bitter with a zesty finish. A West Coast-style IPA brewed in the heart of the East Coast, it’s the beer that’s Crafted on the Cape."

Would I buy it again?: We've got a special edition this week, as I was on location at the Cape May Brewing Company tasting room not too long ago as part of a bachelor party. This is their flagship beer, so even though I'm not an IPA fan, I had to try it out. And you know what? It's not too bad at all. The beer was easy to drink and not overly bitter. They don't sell any Cape May beer back in Maryland, but I'm ever in the area, I'd definitely consider buying this again.